The present invention relates to multi-section hockey sticks and, in particular, to a drawn coupler for retaining a stick to a tubular handle.
Historically, playing sticks such as used in ice or street hockey and other sports have been constructed as one-piece, integral sticks. The sticks are typically constructed of a solid handle and a laminated wooden blade. Fiberglass, KEVLAR, and other fiber materials are frequently applied as covering layers or at laminant layers to add rigidity and enhance the tensile properties of the sticks. However, with any damage to the stick, such as cracks, chips or breaks, the entire stick must be discarded and replaced with a new stick.
With the advent and availability of numerous materials of high tensile strength and flexibility, efforts have been extended to develop multi-section sticks. Such sticks typically provide a hollow handle and to which a separate blade is secured. The handle may be constructed of various high tensile strength materials, such as fiberglass, aluminum, and various other metal and plastic composites. The blades, in turn, are constructed in traditional fashion of wood laminates or glass covered wood.
A tang piece typically projects from a heel portion of the blade and is formed to a cross sectional shape complementary to the bore of the handle. The blade is typically retained to the handle with the application of an adhesive to the tang. A variety of thermal resins are frequently used to this end.
U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,638,942 and 3,934,875 disclose sectional and molded hockey sticks using various mechanical fasteners between the blade and handle. U.S. Pats. No. 3,934,875 discloses a splinted coupler.
U.S. Pats. Nos. 4,570,932 and 5,261,662 respectively disclose a blade that includes a wedge and a stick having a handle splinted to the blade.
The present coupler assembly was developed to overcome shortcomings of prior sticks and particularly to obtain a coupler which optimizes the surface contact between the handle and blade without permitting voids or gaps conducive to possible fracture of the handle or blade at the coupler. A tapered wedge including a drawn screw follower that is accessible through the handle and or blade was particularly developed.